Various types of product dispensers are known in the art, including mechanical and automated dispensers configured to dispense a product from a supply of product supported by the dispenser. For example, sheet product dispensers may be configured to allow a user to obtain a particular type of sheet product, such as paper towels, bath tissue, facial tissue, napkins, or wipers, from a supply of sheet product supported by the dispenser. The supply of sheet product may be in the form of a roll of sheet product, a stack of sheet product, or other configuration for storing the sheet product prior to dispensing from the dispenser. As another example, flowable material dispensers may be configured to allow a user to obtain a particular type of flowable material, such as a liquid, gel, or foam soap, a liquid, gel, or foam detergent, a liquid, gel, or foam lotion, a sanitizer liquid, gel, or foam, or an antimicrobial liquid, gel, or foam, from a supply of flowable material supported by the dispenser. The supply of flowable material may be provided in a container for storing the flowable material prior to dispensing from the dispenser. Still other examples of product dispensers include cutlery dispensers configured to dispense cutlery utensils, such as disposable forks, knives, or spoons, and air freshener dispensers configured to dispense an air freshener substance, such as an odor combating substance, an odor neutralizing substance, or a fragrance.
Automated product dispensers generally may be configured to automatically dispense a particular product to a user or a surrounding environment upon user actuation of the dispenser, upon the dispenser sensing the presence of a user, or based on a timer schedule of the dispenser. Certain automated product dispensers may include an automated dispensing mechanism that includes a motor and a drivetrain. Upon activation of the dispensing mechanism, the motor may drive the drivetrain, which in turn may drive or otherwise actuate other components of the dispensing mechanism to dispense the particular product to a user or a surrounding environment. For example, a dispensing mechanism of an automated sheet product dispenser may include a drive roller that is driven via a drivetrain to dispense a sheet product to a user. As another example, a dispensing mechanism of an automated flowable material dispenser may include a pump that is actuated via a drivetrain to dispense a flowable material to a user.
One problem associated with certain automated product dispensers is the level of sound emitted during operation of the automated dispensing mechanism (i.e., during dispensing of the particular product). For automated dispensing mechanisms that include a motor and a drivetrain, relatively high sound power levels may be emitted due, at least in part, to vibrations generated by the motor and the drivetrain, which are transmitted to other components of the dispenser, such as a chassis or a housing. In certain applications, the relatively high sound power levels may be obtrusive to people present in the working environment of the dispenser or may negatively affect user perception of the dispenser. Additionally, the vibrations transmitted to other components of the dispenser may negatively affect the function or integrity of such components.
There is thus a desire for improved automated product dispensers including an automated dispensing mechanism that includes a motor and a drivetrain, as well as related methods for automatically dispensing products therewith. Such dispensers and methods should address the problem of relatively high sound power levels emitted due to vibrations generated by the motor and the drivetrain and transmitted to other components of the dispenser.